About

S. Kay Obendorf is associated with the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University. The center assists faculty in developing translational research projects by providing support such as proposal preparation, training, technical support, and facilitating collaborative relationships. The center offers workshops, summer institutes, and talks on current research topics, aiming to enhance the impact and dissemination of research findings. Specific details about Professor Obendorf's individual research focus, background, or key contributions are not provided on the page.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Chemistry
• Composite material
• Chemical engineering
• Polymer chemistry

Selected publications

• Analysis of the Degradation of Dye in the Silk Dyed with Natural Dye-Mordant Combination

  2016-11-10

  reportOpen accessSenior author

  The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of different mordants on the degradation of dye in the silk dyed with five standard dyes, alizarin, purpurin, berberine, palmatine, and indigotin after treating the dyed silk with H2O2/UV treatment.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Polyoxometalate (POM) grafted grooved nanofibrous membranes for improved self-decontamination

  RSC Advances · 2016-01-01 · 12 citations

  article

  Combining unique fiber morphologies with self-decontamination technologies can enhance degradation of toxic compounds on fibrous substrates.

  PublisherDOI

• Degradation studies of methyl parathion with CuBTC metal-organic framework

  Journal of environmental chemical engineering · 2015-01-22 · 23 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Functionalization of Cotton Fiber by Partial Etherification and Self-Assembly of Polyoxometalate Encapsulated in Cu₃(BTC)₂ Metal–Organic Framework

  ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · 2015-02-03 · 70 citations

  articleSenior author

  A combination of a Keggin-type polyoxometalate (POM), [CuPW11O39](5-), with a Cu3(BTC)2 metal-organic framework (MOF-199/HKUST-1; where BTC is benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate), was successfully self-assembled on a cellulose substrate (cotton) with a room-temperature process. Cotton fibers were functionalized by partial etherification. Cu3(BTC)2 metal-organic framework and polyoxometalate encapsulated in Cu3(BTC)2 metal-organic framework were self-assembled on the carboxymethylate ion sites initiated with copper nitrate using ethanol and water as solvents. Octahedral crystals were observed on both MOF-cotton and POM-MOF-cotton; both contained copper while the POM-MOF-cotton also contained tungsten. Occupancy of POM in MOF cages was calculated to be about 13%. Moisture content remained at 3 to 4 wt % similar to that of untreated cotton. Reactivity to both hydrogen sulfide and methyl parathion was higher for POM-MOF-cotton due to the Keggin polyoxometalate and the extra-framework cations Cu(2+) ions compensating the charges of the encapsulated Keggins. The POM-MOF material was found to effectively remove 0.089 mg of methyl parathion per mg of MOF from a hexane solution while MOF-cotton removed only 0.054 mg of methyl parathion per mg of MOF.

  PublisherDOI

• Reactivity and reusability of immobilized zinc oxide nanoparticles in fibers on methyl parathion decontamination

  Textile Research Journal · 2015-08-10 · 14 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were used as the photocatalyst to develop self-decontaminating fibers for potential use as chemical protective materials. Since ZnO is an effective photocatalyst for degradation of organophosphate, it was incorporated in electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl parathion, an organophosphate, upon exposure to ZnO-PAN fibers was evaluated and found to be effective for reuse for up to five exposure cycles. High performance liquid chromatography, UV-vis spectroscopy, calculations of octanol–water partition coefficients, and 31 P NMR spectroscopy were used to determine that hydrolysis is the probably mechanism for photocatalytic degradation.

  PublisherDOI

• MgO-embedded fibre-based substrate as an effective sorbent for toxic organophosphates

  RSC Advances · 2014-01-01 · 8 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Metal oxide nanoparticles embedded in a novel electrospun cellulose acetate–polyethylene oxide fibre developed using a co-continuous polymer blend followed by selective dissolution provided enhanced self-decontamination of toxic organophosphates such as methyl parathion.

  PublisherDOI

• CuBTC metal-organic frameworks enmeshed in polyacrylonitrile fibrous membrane remove methyl parathion from solutions

  Fibers and Polymers · 2014-02-01 · 47 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-mass selective detector analysis of major natural dyes with the application of H ₂ O ₂ /ultraviolet treatment as a way to simulate burial degradation of textiles

  Textile Research Journal · 2014-08-12 · 9 citations

  articleSenior author

  H 2 O 2 /ultraviolet (UV) radiation treatment was proposed to simulate burial-induced degradation of natural dyes. The method was applied to the major pigments of Phellodendron bark, madder, and indigo plant, and their silk dyeings, and the degraded samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-mass selective detector (HPLC-DAD-MS). Retention times of the HPLC chromatogram, UV-visible λ max obtained from DAD analysis, and major ion detected by the MS analysis were used to identify berberine, palmatine, alizarin, purpurin, indigotin, and indirubin included in dye solution and the extraction from silk dyeing. Alizarin, purpurin, and indirubin were more susceptible to degradation by H 2 O 2 /UV than berberine and palmatine. Indigotin was completely degraded with 5 minutes of treatment, producing isatin as the degradation product. Alizarin, purpurin, and indigotin were more resistant to degradation when they were affixed to the fibers.

  PublisherDOI

• Thermal degradation of natural dyes and their analysis using HPLC-DAD-MS

  Fashion and Textiles · 2014-11-20 · 30 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Berberine, palmatine, alizarin, purpurin, indigotin, and indirubin which were the major coloring compounds of Phellodendron bark, madder, and indigo plant were thermally degraded in 100°C oven in liquid dye form and also in silk dyed with five of these pigments. A mixed dye solution of six coloring compounds was prepared in DMSO solution and was thermally degraded for up to 7 days. Silk were dyed using either a mixed dye solution of five dyes or individual dye solutions and each were degraded for 7 and 14 days, respectively, and the dye was extracted from the samples for the HPLC analysis. The concentration of coloring compounds in the degraded samples were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-MS and the color difference (ΔE) of the degraded silk was examined using a spectro-colorimeter. Alizarin and purpurin were more resistance to degradation than other coloring compounds both when in solution form and in silk dyeings. And such result was verified by the color difference measurement of the degraded silk dyed with individual dye solution. The resistance of alizarin and purpurin to thermal degradation was highly likely due to the fomation of fiber-metal-dye chelated complex by alum or iron mordanting before dyeing.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Surface modification of microporous polypropylene membrane by UV-initiated grafting with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate

  Fibers and Polymers · 2014-10-01 · 10 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Y. M. N. Namasté

  Cornell University

  19 shared

• Ferdinand Rodriguez

  15 shared

• Ann T. Lemley

  10 shared

• Alan Hedge

  Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

  10 shared

• Cheunsoon Ahn

  Incheon National University

  10 shared

• Debra N. Hild

  Cornell University

  9 shared

• Joan J. Webb

  9 shared

• V. Ravichandran

  SRM University, Andhra Pradesh

  9 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Physical Chemistry

  Cornell University

  1976

Awards & honors

• Olney Medal for achievement in textile chemistry from the Am…
• Honorary Member of The Fiber Society (2013)